Bicycle.



No. 677,079. Patented June 2-5, I90L. J. H. GUILEY, J. H. PIERCE &. J.E. WRIGHT.

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(Appfication filed In. 27, 1900.7 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet sfi Y 4INVENTORS A TTORNEY.

WITNESSES No. 677,079. Patented June 25, IBM.

J. H. GUILEY, J. H. PIERCE 81. J. E. WRIGHT. BICYCLE.

(Applicatibn filed Mat. 27, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES A P-INVENTORS Wm JMW W: WTTORNEX TH: uoams PETERS co.Pno'rmmeq. wAsumcwN, n c.

' No. 677,079. Patented June 25, 190:.

J. H. aunuzv, J. n. PIERCE & J. E. WRIGHT. BICYCLE.

(Application filed Mar. 27, 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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ma... $2 4M B. ATTORNE).

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT DEEICE.

JACOB H. GUILEY, OF SAGINAWV, AND JAMES H. PIERCE AND JAMES E. WRIGHT,OF WVEST BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

BICYCLE.

SPEGIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,079, dated June 25,1901.

Application filed March 27, 1900, Serial No. 10,358. (No model.)

To all whont it nuty concern.-

Be it known that we, JACOB H. GUILEY, residingat Saginaw, in the. countyof Saginaw, and JAMES H. PIERCE and JAMES E. WRIGHT, residing at WestBay City, in the county of Bay, State of Michigan, citizens of theUnited States, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsinBicycles; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to bicycles; and the improvements consist in theconstruction of the bicycle-frame and the arrangements of its parts, bywhich the objects of our invention are attained.

The objects are, first, to provide a cushion or spring frame forbicyclesthat will permit the front and rear wheels to travel over rough oruneven ground or pavements without imparting shock or vibration to theseat or pedals and to accomplish this without greatly altering theconstruction of the bicycle-frame as ordinarily built; second, toprovide for the vertical vibration of the seat and pedals in such mannerthat the crank-hanger will always move on the are of a circle struckfrom a point at or near the center of the rear wheel and be guided by apair of radial arms pivotally connected to said center; third, toprovide means for preventing lateral movement of the rods that connectthe crank-hanger to the seat-post, said means being of such constructionas to utilize the full strength of the usual type of frame withoutcutting it for the accommodation of guides, arcs, or similar devices,and, fourth, to provide means for regulating the chain adjustment,tension of the spring that supports the seat, and to illsure a fairhearing of the seat-post on the supporting-spring. The means by which weaccomplish these objects is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,throughout the several views of which similar characters of referencedesignate corresponding parts and devices.

Figure 1 is a side view of a bicycle, showing the improvement. Fig. 2 isa detail of the improvement, showing the seat-post and crank-hangerdepressed as they would appear when the wheel passes over a sudden risein the pavement. Fig. 3 is a plan showing the arrangement of side rods.Fig. 4 isa section of the upright member of the frame, showing thearrangement of. the seat-post and spring and the means for adjusting thespring to suit different riders. Fig. 5 is a front view of the uprightpost, showing the two rods that connect the crank-hanger to theseat-post. Fig. 6 is a detail of the bearing by which the side rods areconnected to the crank-hanger.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the device consists in avertically-movable seatpost 1, carried by the upright member 2 of thebicycle-frame and supported by a coiled spring 3, carried Within theupright member. Side rods 4 and at are pivotally connected to theseat-post at their upper ends, and their lower ends support the twosides of the crankhanger 5, which is independent of the main framestructure of the bicycle. Two other rods 6 and 6 are pivotally attachedat their forward ends to the crank-hanger 5 and extending backward oneon each side of the rear wheel are pivoted at their rear ends to themain frame of the bicycle at or near the center of the rear wheel.

The lower connection of the frame members, as at 7, is so constructed asto fit the upper face of the crank-hanger hearing when the latter is inits raised position, and the side rods 6 and 6 are adjusted to properlength for returning the crank-hanger to its seat.

To prevent lateral movement of the crankhanger and side rods, a flatbearing-surface 8 is provided on each side of the upright member 2 or inother suitable position, and the inner sides of the rods 4: and 4 arefaced to slip thereon. The wear on these lateral faces is found inpractice to be very slight, since no direct pressure is brought uponthem by the weight of the rider. Hence we do not ordinarily provideelaborate means for taking up the wear at this point but, if desired,any suitable means for adjusting may be provided without departing fromour invention.

When the rear ends of the radius-rods 6 and 6 are pivoted to the axis ofthe rear wheel, means, as a turnbuckle 9, is provided in each rod forlengthening or shortening to accommodate the chain adjustment. When therods 6 and 6 are pivoted to the main frame off the center of the rearwheel, (preferably above or below it,) the chain adjustment ceases toaffect the radius-rods and the means for lengthening or shortening themmay be dispensed with. In the latter case the chain is adjusted as inordinary bicycles.

The means for cushioning the seat-post consists in a coiled spring 3,preferably resting on the bottom of the upright tube 2. A cupped piston10, carrying a metal ball 10 in its center, rests on the top of thespring. The seat post, which is independent, rests in a sleeve 1 whichhas a bottom 1, tapped and thread ed to receive the lower end of anadjhstingscrew 11,'that passes through the seat-post. The lower end ofthe adjustingscrew is cupped to take the top of the ball 10". It is thusevident that when the seat-post is fixed relatively to the crank-hangerby means of the side rods 4 and 4? the spring 3 may be compressed byscrewing down the adjustingrod 11, forcing the plunger 10 down againstthe spring. The ball 10 serves to permit the plunger 10 to adjust itselfto the surface of the spring and also acts as a washer to preventrotation of the plunger and consequent twisting of the spring when thescrew 11 is being turned.

The connections between the side rods and the crank-hanger may be madein any suitable manner; but we prefer to employ the means shown in thedrawings, in which 12 12'and 13 13 are straps connected to the sets ofradius-rods and to the sets of upright 'si-de rods, respectively. Thestraps surround the crank-hanger, and one set or both sets of straps mayhave 'a motion of rotation about t'h'ecrank-hanger, if desired. In Fig.'6 is shown a section of the straps,'one of which is provided with aball-race 1et,the balls of which revolve on a hardened flange 15 of theremaining strap.

l/Vhile we have shown and described specific forms of connections forthe rods and crank-hanger and for the spring adjustment,

tures in presence of two witnesses.

we do not desire to confine our invention to these forms, since theessential features of the invention would be preserved ifv other Isuitable forms of these details were employed.

To lessen "the friction between the seat-post sleeve 1 and its bearing,the rear side of the seat-post sleeve may be flatted and a roller 16provided in the member 2, against which the seat-post sleeve bears.

The essence of our invention would be retained if the side rods 4 and 4;were made shorter than shown in the drawings, being connected to theseat-post sleeve near its lower end by means of a pin passing throughasmall slot in each side of the member 2. This construction is not shownin the drawings for the sake of clearness and because such a changewould be obvious from the description of our invention in thisspecification.

What we claim is 1. In combination with the main frame of a bicyclehaving a downwardly-extending seat-post tube a seat-post yieldinglymounted on a spring within the seat-post tube; a crank-hanger normallyresting-against the lower end of the seat-post tube but capable ofdownward movement independent thereof; a pair of rods, one on each sideof the seat-post tube, pivoted at their upper ends to the seat-post andattached at their lower ends to the crank-hanger guides on the innersurfaces of said rods for engaging similar surfaces on thebicycle-frame; a pair of-'rearwardly-extending rods pivoted at theirrear ends to the main frame at or near the center of the rear wheel, andpivoted at their front ends to the crank-hanger; and turnbnckles in saidrearwardly-extending rods'for adjust iug their length, substantially asdescribed, and for the purposes set forth.

2. Incombination with the frame having an immovable seat-post tube; acrank-hanger normally resting in a recess provided in the lower end ofthe seat-post tube, but capable of downward movement independentthereof; a pair of rods, one on each side of and pivoted to theseat-post at their upper ends, and attached at their lower ends to thecrankhanger; guide-surfaces on said rods for engaging similar'surfaceson the bicyclefra-me; and a pair of rearwardly-extending rods pivoted attheir rear ends to the main frame-and attached at their front ends tothe crank= hanger.

' In testimony whereof we affix our signa- J AOOB H. GUILEY. JAMES H.PIERCE. JAMES E. NV'RIGHT.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. WILLcoX, WILLIAM STEPHENS.

